Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.     James 1:17 NKJV

I’m not a very good gift giver.  I really want to get each person just the right gift.  I want to get them something that they will love and use often, but I never have any idea what that might be. In all honesty gift buying really stresses me out.  I have often told my friends and family that I think we should just make a list of everyone that we buy for.  Then we should go out and spend what we would spend on that person buying something for ourselves.  We should then wrap it up and label it to us from that person.  If everyone else did the same, then we would all get what we wanted, spend what we wanted, and it would be much less stressful.  So far, no one has taken me up on what I think is a fabulous idea.

My dad was the perfect example of the worst possible person to buy a gift for.  He went out and bought what he wanted and needed.  So, when Christmas, birthday, and Father’s Day came around, there was nothing he specifically wanted or needed.  He loved bird feeders, squirrel feeders and flashlights but you can only buy so many of those.  Many times, I would buy a gift for my dad, he would open it and say “Thanks, that’s nice” and then stuff if back in the box, never to be seen again.  For years, my dad didn’t believe.  He had been hurt in church as a child and had stayed out of church while I was growing up.  My family and I prayed for my dad for many years. We had had numerous heated discussions about this. One year for some gift giving occasion, I was at a loss for what to get my dad.  I finally decided to get him a nice bible with his name embossed on the front of it.  He usually tossed aside his gifts, but what could it hurt?  Well, he opened that gift and said his usual, “thanks, that’s nice” and put it back in the box.  But a few months later, I noticed his bible sitting on the table beside his chair.  Mom said that he had actually started to read it.  Within a year after that he told mom he wanted to go with her to a revival at our church. He made a public profession of faith and was baptized shortly thereafter.  That Bible, as it turns out, had been the perfect gift for him at the time.

Our Scripture tells us every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. God is good. He gives me what I need and sometimes what I want. As a friend likes to say, “always more than I deserve”.  Our Scripture passage also tells us that with Him there is no variation. God never changes. He is always the same. This is why we can put our trust in Him. He’s not going to be there for us today and walk away tomorrow. Now, we may walk away from Him, but that’s a whole other blog.

Hebrews 13:16 says, “Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.” I don’t know where you are in your walk with your Savior. I don’t know if you have not begun to walk with Him. Maybe you don’t even believe in Him. I don’t know. Maybe you love Him with all your heart, and you are experiencing the peace and joy that come from a good, solid relationship with Him. Or maybe you have accepted Him as your Savior but have begun to backslide and are trying to find your way back to Him. But I do know this, He will meet you where you are. All you have to do is call on Him. I also know that if you are enjoying the peace and joy that can only be found in a solid relationship with Him, you need to share it like the Scripture says.

If you have accepted the perfect gift of salvation, you must share it. You can buy expensive gifts for those you love. You can search for the perfect gift. But know that the perfect gift is salvation. God freely gives it. If they are lost and dying, reach out to them. Share what you have found in Christ. There is no better gift that you can give this Christmas.

Have a great day!